Improved life-preserving trunk



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

OLIVER EVANS \VOODS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED LIFE-PRESERVING TRUNK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22,1167, dated December28, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, OLIVER EVANS WooDs, of the citv and county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulLife-Preserving Valise; and I do hereby decla-re that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the sa1ne,ref erencebeing had tothe annexed drawings,in which- Figure l represents a Vertical transversesection of a valise constructed according to my improvements in anexpanded state. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, the line :rFig. 1, indicating the plane of section; and Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section of the same when compressed.

Similar letters of reference in the three figures indicate correspondingparts.

To enable others skilled in the art to use and construct myimprovedvalise, I will proceed to describe the same.

A, B, and C are three separate frames, made of Wood and as light as theoccasion may permit, and they are united by a flexible waterproofcovering D, which may be covered over by leather, so as to give thearticle the appear ance of a common valise. The middle frame B issomewhat narrower than the other two, and sta5 s E are fastened to thesame by pivots a, so that they may be brought in an upright position, asrepresented in Fig. l, or in a horizontal position, as represented inFigs. 2 and 3. A

The lid or cover E is hinged to the upper frame C, and a narrow strip ofindia-rubber b is attached to the upper face of this frame, and anotherwider strip of india-rubber c is fastened to the lower edge of the lid,both of these strips forming gaskets, which are in such relativeposition that when the lid is closed down the strip c overlaps the otherstrip b on both sides and a water-tight joint is formed between the lidand the box. If the stays E are turned down, as represented in Figs. 2and 3, the three frames A, B, and C may be brought as close together asthe covering will permit, (see Fig. 2,) so that the valise takes up butlittle room and that it is but a small incumbrance to the personcarrying the same, while at the same time sufficient space is left inthe same forsnch clothes as travelers usually carry for short journeys;but if the stays E are turned up, as represented inEig. l, they strikethe frame A below and the frame C above and the valise is expanded. Inthis state, and it' it is empty,

it serves as a life-preserver, and straps G,

which are fastened to the lower frame A and which are long enough toreach round the box under all circumstances, serve the double purpose tosecure the lid if the box is used as a valise, or to fasten the box tothe body of a person if in case of danger itis to be used as alife-preserver.

I do not confine myself to the precise forni of valise represented in mydrawings; but the same construction may be applied With equal advantageto all kinds of trunks.

The stays may be placed upon the inside or the exterior of the valise ortrunk, as may be found most desirable.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent as an improved article of manufacture- A valise or trunk madesubstantially as herein shown and described.

OLIVER EVANS WOODS.

VitIIesses:

WM. P. HIBBERD, LEWIS GoDBoN.

